Earring construction with safety clamp



Sept" 25, 1956 G. LIPF'MANN EARRING CONSTRUCTION WITH SAFETY CLAMP Filed June 2, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

GEMWM LIPPMA MM.

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Unite States Patent f 2,764,000 EARRING CONSTRUCTION WITH SAFETY CLAMP Gertrude Lippmann, Detroit, Mich. Application June 2, 1955, Serial No. 512,720 2 Claims. (Cl. 63-14) This invention relates to earring constructions and more particularly to a novel method of hanging and supporting earrings upon the user.

Heretofore in conventional earring constructions the earring has been generally suspended from the earlobe and this has normally necessitated either piercing of the lobe or such compressive pressure upon the lobe as to prevent accidental dislodgment.

In the past, piercing of the ear has been found objectionable and furthermore, the pressure needed oftentimes for supporting the earring is uncomfortable, necessitating the removal of the earring from time to time.

It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a novel form of earring construction, and specifically a method of mounting whereby the earring itself is suspended from the interior portions of the ear rather than by frictional engagement with the lobe as the positive means of support.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide an earring construction which consists of a flexible body having a formed end portion which projects within an internal portion of the ear body above the earlobe, and with a portion of the earring body having a plurality of fastening devices which operatively engage rear portions of the ear so as to prevent dislodgment of the earring therefrom.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a means whereby the earring is suspended from internal portions of the ear rather than frictionally secured thereto.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of an earring construction embodying the present invention shown with respect to a users right ear, which is shown in dotted lines for illustration.

Fig. 2 is a right side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a slightly different form of earring construction as mounted upon a users left ear, which is shown in dotted lines for illustration; and

Fig. 4 is a right side elevational view thereof.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing and specifically Figs. 1 and 2, the earring construction shown therein includes the ornament 11 which, of course, may be of any desired configuration, and which has upon its rear surface the clip 12 or extension secured the reto which operatively and retainingly engages as at point 13 the upright wire support 14 which forms a part of the general earring supporting structure 15.

The general supporting structure is of U-shape, as indicated in Fig. 2, and has a base portion which extends from the front of the earlobe 27 of Fig. 1 and thereunder and upwardly thereof terminating in the rear wire support element 16 which has an enlargement 17.

The rear wire support element 16 above enlargement 17 joins the slightly bent portion 18 which extends laterally r 2,704,000 Patented Sept. 25, 1956 and angularly upward and terminates at its end in the substantially upright Wire portion 19, having an enlargement 20 at its upper free end.

Set screw 21 is arranged rearwardly of enlargement 20 and is threaded transversely therethrough, and upon the interior side of wire 19 has a ball formation 22 which is adapted to operatively and retainingly engage the rear portion of the ear 28.

The ball 22 is arranged in opposed cooperating relation with a corresponding ball 23 which is secured upon the free end of the angularly inturned wire 24 which extends from the upper end of the substantially upright wire element 14.

The wire extension 24 and the ball 23 extends into the natural hollow 29 Within the portion of the ear above the earlobe 27 and is thus nested supportably within the body of the ear and retained in such position by the cooperation of the opposed ball 22. The ball 22 may be compressively moved towards ball 23 upon the opposite side of the ear by manual rotation of set screw 21. In this connection, it is contemplated that the compressive relation between the two balls 22 and 23 is merely sufiicient to retain the said suspension ball 23 Within the car body as distinguished from the conventional type of frictional pressure heretofore required for supporting an earring from the lobe of the ear. Accordingly, the present method of suspending the earring provides no discomfort and is more efficient as a means of supporting the earring construction.

In cooperation with the set screw 21 and arranged therebelow in spaced relation there is provided a second set screw 25 which is substantially parallel to set screw 21 and is threaded through the enlargement 17 in the lower portion 16 of the wire support forming a part of the earring. The set screw terminates on the opposite side of the wire element 16 in the retaining ball 26 which is spaced rearwardly of the small mounting plate 12 by which the ornament is secured to the front wire 14 of the earring body. Thus the ball 26 is spaced. upon the opposite side of earlobe 27 and in cooperation with element 12 compressively engages the earlobe 27 only with sufficient pressure as to prevent tilting displacement. In this connection, however, it is noted that it is not necessary that there be a frictional pressure of the ball 26 upon the rear of the lobe such as would otherwise be required for actually suspending and supporting an earring from the lobe.

In accordance with the disclosure set forth in Figs. 1 and 2 there is thus provided a different method of suspending the earring from the ear, together with a plurality of cooperating securing means which render the suspension of the earring more efficient and more effective and assures against accidental dislodgrnent thereof.

As above described, the rear wire 17 was provided with a lateral inclined bend 18. Preferably, the wire support 15 is constructed of a flexible wire body so that the same may be bent slightly as required to conform to the shape and size of the particular ear. Accordingly, the bent and inclined portion 18 provides for additional metal so that the wire member 19 may be extended slight ly as desired. In the illustration shown .in Fig. l, the car 28 shown in dotted lines, is intended to represent the right ear.

Figs. 3 and 4 are directed to a slight variation of the present invention which, nevertheless, incorporates the same principles of suspension and multiple securing to prevent dislodgement.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown for illustration a pendant type of ornament 30 of any desired configuration, as designated at 31, and which has a mounting loop 32 at its upper end which extends through a corresponding upright loop 33 secured as at 34 to the upright wire 35 which extends upwardly of the front wall of the earlobe 54 of Fig. 3, and which forms a part of the wire support body generally indicated at 36, Fig. 4. Of course,.the specific method of securing the ornamental pendant in itself forms no part of the present invention, as any type of ornament may be employed, suspended in any desired manner for this purpose.

The forward upper end of support wire 35 terminates in the cup-shaped plate 37 which engages the outer surface of the earlobe 54 on one side, and upon its opposite outer side has secured thereto the ornamental ball 38.

The front wire element 35 at its lower end joins the U-shaped portion 39 which extends cooperatively below the earlobe 54 of Fig. '3 and extends upwardly as at 40 adjacent the opposite side of the earlobe and has formed thereon the enlargement 41.

This enlargement is transversely threaded and cooperatively receives the set screw 42 which carries upon the inner surface of wire 40 the fastening ball 43. This ball is spaced rearwardly of the cup-shaped or convex element 37 in rearward alignment therewith substantially and is adapted to cooperate therewith and at the same time operatively engage a rear surface portion of the earlobe to thereby retain the earring support 36 against angular displacement.

The rear wall portion 40 of the said support 36 above the enlargement 41 has a laterally and upwardly inclined extension 44, and this part terminates in the upright wire 45 which at its upper end is curved outwardly as at 46, terminating in the horizontally disposed curved element 4'7. At the inner end of the curved element 47 substantially where it joins curved portion 46 there is provided an enlargement 51 which is transversely and interiorly threaded to cooperatively receive the horizontally disposed set screw 52 which carries upon the opposite side of the wire support element 4") the pressure ball 53 for operation in the manner hereafter described.

As is shown in the drawing, the rear wire portions forming apart of the wire support 36 extend along but spaced rearwardly of the rear wall of the ear 55. The horizontally disposed element 47 forming a part of the support extends forwardly and aroundthe outer edge portion of the ear 55 in the form of a substantial semi-circle, .as at 48. This element 48 terminates in the downwardly inclined inwardly extending angularly related support wire 49 which carries the pressure ball St) at its free end.

This ball is retainingly positioned within the natural space formed within the car body in the upper portion thereof and serves as a suspension medium for the entire support means 36.

The pressure ball 50 is spaced forwardly of and in substantial horizontal registry with the rear ball 53 upon set screw 52, the latter ball 53 being adapted for compressive and cooperative retaining engagement with a rear wall portion of ear 55.

Here again it is specifically an important part of the present invention that the pressure relationship between the two balls 50 and 53 is merely sufiicient to retain wire support element in the position shown in Fig. 3 which provides the principal means of suspending the earring construction. This pressure of engagement is considerably less than has been heretofore required for a frictional supporting of an earring from the earlobe, as at 54, for example.

The horizontally disposed semi-circularly shaped wire element 48 has a series of ornamental elements 57 secured thereon as one means of further ornamenting the present earring construction.

Here, also, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 there are provided the two set screws 42 and 52 with their respective pressure balls 43 and 53 adapted for respective opposed cooperation with the convex pressure element 37, as well as the ball 50, shown in Fig. 4,'to thereby provide a very efiicient securing means for the earring construction.

lrimarily, and as above described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2, the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. '3 and 4 provides a means of suspending the earring construction from an internal portion of the car body rather than actually securing the same thereto. The upper retaining ball 50 is so positioned as to extend into the ear cavity, but at a point therein remote from the rear passage so as not to interfere with hearing.

The primary purpose of the set screws 52 and 42 and their balls53 and 43, respectively, is merely to secure the wire support 36 against displacement and to guarantee that the support element 50 or ball will perform its suspending function.

I have preferably employed the balls 22, 26, 53 and 43, on the set screws 21, 25, 52 and 42, as this provides a much more comfortable contact for the ear and eliminates the danger of cutting or injuring the ear by the old use of a plate for this purpose.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof:

I claim:

1. In an earring including a flexible self standing wire support body mounting an ornament, said body comprising a U-shaped substantially upright element including front and rear legs of substantially the same height adapted to receive the earlobe and extending thereunder, a substantially horizontal suspension arm joined to the upper end of said front leg adapted to extend angularly towards said rear leg and into the natural hollow of the ear above the lobe, a pressure ball on the end of said arm adapted to operatively engage the ear membrane, a substantially horizontal first screw adjustably extending forwardly through said rear leg adjacent its lower end, a pressure element on said screw adapted to retainingly engage the rear surface of said lobe, a second set screw parallel to the first set screwadjustably extending through the top of said rear leg in opposed cooperating relation with said pressure ball, and a second pressure ballcn said second screw adapted to retainingly engage the rear of said earopposite its natural hollow.

2. In an earring including a flexible self standing wire support body mounting an ornament, said body comprising a U-shaped' substantially upright element including a short front leg and a long rear leg extending thereabove, an earlobe pressure ball at the free end of said front leg, said rear leg adapted to extend upwardly along the rear of the ear, .a horizontally disposed substantially semi-circularlyarm extending forwardly from the upper end of said rear leg, adapted for positioning laterally around the side of the ear and into the natural hollow thereof, a second pressure ballon the end of said arm positionable within the natural hollow of the ear adapted to operatively engage the ear membrane, a top set screw extending horizontally through the upper end of said rear leg towards said second ball, a third pressure ball on the end of said screw in opposed registry with said second ball adapted to operatively and retainingly engage the rear of the ear, a. second set screw parallel to said first set screw extending thru the lower end of said rear leg and forwardly thereof in substantialalignment with said first ball, and a fourth pressure ball :on the end of said second screw in opposed cooperating relation with said first ball adapted to retainingly engage the rear surface of said earlobe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,743,006 Richardson Jan. 7, 1930 2,432,763 Ilsen Dec. 16, 1947 2,502,386 Mailand Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 388,121 France Mar. 12, 1908 433,886 Great Britain Aug. '22, 1935 614,888 France Dec. 24, 1926 

